Structural connector



Dec. 1, 1964 w. E. HAAs STRUCTURAL CONNECTOR Filed June 29, 1962 5, f4. Rf, C; 6

. 3,158,964 .SIRUCIIJZRAL vCtrl#.QNECI WilsonE. Haasanta Barbara, Calif. (644 High Road, Palm Springs, Calif.) Fiieddnne 29, 1%.?, Ser.V No. '210,697 1I Claims. (Cl. Sti- 442) This invention relates to structural connectors which may be used to' join together structuralunits such as walls, roofs, iioors, columns, etc.Y More particularly, the present invention relates to'a structural connector which, because of a unique interlocking arrangement, permitsthe joining together of structural units without the fusev of the concrete forms, temporary propping, anchoring devices, concrete columns, steel columns, weldings, etc., which are conventionally used. Even though these conventional means are not required, the connectors of the present invention are such that they permit the construction of united structures which are sufficiently strong to Vmeet building code requirements, particularly those y'require` t is a further object of the present inventionto pro` vide a structural connector which automatically brings the parts to bejoined together into proper alignment.

It is a still further object of the present invention to provide structural connectors which are self-locking.,

It is still another object of the present invention vto provide a process for"uniting structural units, which process employs the structural connector of the present invention. f n

Other objects 'and advantages of the'present invention will be readily apparent from the following detailed de-y scription of the preferred embodiment thereof. e

Brieiiy, the presentinventi'o'n comprises a structural connector with members in plug-socket relation with each other. When assembled, the members form a permanent connection. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the structural connector'is `also provided with a self-locking device which operates to lock the memberstogether after'theyrhave been assembled. Furthermore, `the 'present invention alsocomprises the process of injecting a binder into the cavity formed by the previously described socket.

For a better understanding of the present invention, reference may be had to the accompanying drawing in which: j j

FIGURE l illustrates one embodiment of the present invention after it has been assembled, in vertical cross section.

'FIGURE 2 is afpictorial View of'one embodiment of the plug orinsert 'and fleiiible socket which comprise the connector of the present invention. A

l FIGUREY 3 illustrates, in partial vertical cross section, one embodiment `ofthe self-locking means ofthe present Vinvention ybefore lthe locking means have been released. ,I

FIGURE 4 illustrates the locking 3 'after the Vlocking means have been released.

"means 'of FIGURE FIGURE 5 illustrates a modification of the kself-locking means.

FIGURE 6 illustrates vanother embodiment of the connector of the present invention in which the insert is flexible and the socket is rigid.Y

igoli Patented Dlec.-` l, 1964 other lappropriatemeans, to ,reinforcement bar `3 which v 1s positioned in one of thestructural elements 4 to be joined. For purposes .of description, elementAis illustrated as a wall landl the other structural element .5 is illustrated as av foundation. Socket 2 is provided with cylindrical sleeve 6 which is concentric with socket 2 and spaced therefrom. ASocket 2 is alsolprovidedwithbase portion 7 which operates toanchor socket 2 infoundation 5. Pin I is provided with pointed end 8` and rounded shoulder 10. Socket 2 is `also provided lwith vflexible fingers Ill, groove I2 and groove 1,3. Thesegrooves may be considered the hingesrforrfingersllll. Socket Z `and base 7 may be integraler may be joined by'any suitable method, e.g., welding. Fingers Il are` provided with sloped surfaces 9 at their upper extremities.

Pin I is provided wfth plastic container 15, -which container encloses lsteel ballsflt.` These steelballs are preferably ofvarious sizes. Pin 1 fis, provided with groove `17 which functions` to hold containerl in position.

socket. 2. As the lowering of the wall continues, point 8 i,

of pin I encounters sloped surfaces `9 of fingers 1.1, whereby pin I is guided intO JSOCKCP'Z. Since the internal diameter of lingers Il at` the'lower'eir'trernity of sloped p0rtion 9 is smaller than Athe largest` diameter of pin 1 ,located at rounded shoulder` It?, fingers 1,1 ,are forced open by pin 1 as the pin is loweredinto the socket. When pin 1 reachesits lowermost position, as illustrated in FIGURE l, it is held under tension by` iingers 11.

As `the pin approaches theend ofits ,dov/onward path, knife-like element 18 isrrbrought adjacent to container 15. As most clearly illustrate'din FIGURES v3. and 4, container I5 isy ruptured byknife-like element 13 during thedownward movement ofpin 1. This'rupturing causes steel balls 16 to be released and to drop into the space between lingersjll and. sleevey 6. As most clearly illustrated in FIGURE 1, the external surface of pinlk and the internal surfaces of pin4 11 have a mating configuration such that fingers 1I function to tightly grip pin 1 when the pin has come to restat its lowermost'position. Thus, the combined action ofv flexible fingersll and` steel balls I6 operates to rigidly and firmly grip pin 1 and support where the pin and socket arenot in precise alignment.

When there is, precisev alignment, the lingers would, of course, grip the pinalongtheir entire length. However, since precise alignmentofntheepin and `socket aredifficult to effect, as well as expensiveV and tijin econs u rning, be-

' cause there is such a large number of( factors which affect location, Vsuch asfslightkdistortions inthe lower surface of the wall or the `upper surface of the foundation, the

` somewhat out of alignment.

aieasea tin? grooves make it possible to achieve full contact between the pin and socket even though the members may be It will immediately be apparent to one skilled in the art that the increased tolerance permitted by the grooves l2 and 13 is a highly desirable feature of the present invention.

This double hinge self-adjusting feature can, of course, be effected by means other than `the location of the two grooves asshown in FIGURE l. For example, both the pin and the socket could comprise single hinged lingers with opposing tension. The double hinging available from the two single hinges would permit the kfingers in the pin to fully engage the iingers in the socket.

It is preferred to inject concrete grout or another similar compound into the Space between ngers ill and sleeve 6 to protect the connector elements against corrosion. This injection should be made after the balls have fallen into place, but before the wall is completely lowered, so that an access crack exists which is large enough to admit the nozzle of a grout gun. Therefore, knife-like elements 18 should be positioned such that the container 115 is ruptured before the wall is completely lowered.

FIGURE illustrates an alternative type of locking means combined with the socket and pin assembly illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 2. In this embodiment the locking means comprising steel rod i9 is substituted for the balls of the embodiment shown in FIGURES l to 4. Rod T9 is circular in configura-tion and is suspended from bar 3 by flexible hangers 2h. In operation, as the wall descends, the hangers 2li jam the rod i9 against lingers 11i. Because of their flexible nature, the hangers continue to be deflected as the wall continues to lower and continues to urge rod I9 into locking engagement with fingers 11 and sleeve 6. This embodiment has been found to be particularly suitably for use with heavy walls which are exposed to heavy winds or other severe conditions.

The force of the tension exerted by fingers f1 is created by the weight of the Wall as the wall is lowered into position. This force will be less than the weight of the wall, but most building lcodes require only that anchorage or lateral force resistance be equal to of the weight of the wall, plus 20% or less of the roof load or other tributary loads. Depending upon the magnitude of the tributary loads, variations between building codes, and the degree of eiciency of a particular design of connector, the tension of the fingers may be the only holding force necessary. In some cases, it is advantageous to add temporary Weights to the wall while it is being lowered into place, and thereby malte it possible -to employ a connector with greater holding power. In other cases, suppleemntal anchoring means may be necessary, such as the self-locking means 1 6 and I9 which have previously been described.

In the embodiments illustrated in FIGURES 6 and 7, pin f is provided with exible lingers 2l. In FIG- URE 6, the structural unit to which the unit provided with pin l is to be joined is provided with a cavity com-1 prising sloped` portions Z2 and 23. The cavity is filled with Wet concrete or a similar composition before the pin is inserted therein. The primary purpose of the concrete is to protect the connector from corrosion, but, after hardening, the concrete also adds to the strength of the connection. The pin l and fingers 21 are preferably made of metal while the cavityv may simply vbe molded in the proper shape in thestructural member into which the pins are to-be inserted. As the lingers 21 are lowered into the cavity, sloped portions 2l. cause the lingers to be compressed, thereby putting them under tension. As the pin approaches its lowermost position, sloped portion 23 permits the fingers 2l to expand slightly. The nngers thus lock the pin 1 in place While the concrete in the cavity hardens. When the concrete has hardened, a strong structural connection is made.

The modification illus-trated in FIGURE 7 is generally similar vto ythat of FIGURE 6, with the exception that a notch comprising surfaces 24 and 25 is substituted for kthe concrete are eliminated.

sloped portion 23 of FIGURE 6. This notch may be singular or may be a series of notches. In fact, the surfaces of the pin and the fingers of FIGURE 1 could be notched or grooved such that the notches or grooves on the pin would engage the notches or grooves on the fingers. Such notches or grooves provide good holding power, but may lead to dangerous looseness in ythe connector, particularly when high walls or columnsare connected to foundations. For example, in the case of a wall 20 feet high attached to a foundation, an error of .007 inch in the location of the socket or pin can result in a wall tilting 8.76 inches out of alignment. If the pin and socket are provided with six notches per inch (the size of threads on a 11/2 inch bolt), they will not meet properly in the event of a .007 inch misalignment and will slip back .16 inch to the next series of notches. Thus, a right triangle in which the length of lthe wall (240 inches) is one leg and the length plus the slip of .16 inch is the hypotenuse may be envisioned. Application of the Pythagorian theorem gives the result that the other leg of the right triangle is 8.76 inches, i.e., the quantitative measure of misalignrnent of the wall.

Notches or grooves may be used, however, when flat roofs are attached to a wall. In this case, a slip back or" .16 inch may not be consequential to the roof but will only result in a slight increase in the crack which will exist anyway between thek roof and wall. This crack would have to be closed with mortar, grout, or similar compound in any event. It has been found that the embodiment of FIGURE 7 imparts somewhat increased strength to the connection, but that it is also somewhat diliicult to cause pins 21 t0 fully engage surface 25 of the notch. Therefore, greater care is required when assembling a structure in which'the connector of FIGURE 7 is employed.

While exact precision is not necessary in spacing the pins and sockets of the present invention, it is obvious that reasonable `accuracy is required. It has been found that templates -inay be used to position the sockets in the structural unit which is to contain them. This spacing will, of course, vary according to the particular type and environment of structural unit which is used.

Itt'will be obvious to one skilled in the art that many modications and varia-tions of the embodiments previously described are possible Without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example, many types of materials other than those mentioned in the foregoing description may be used. The only, requirement 1s that the materials used have the necessary structural properties for the panticular purpose for which they are used. in the embodiment shown -in FIGURES 1 to 4, the container rupturing means may comprise sharp edges or points at the ends of fingers 11 rather than lcniwfe--like element 18. In the embodiment illustrated ni FIGURE 5, one or more spherical, elliptical, or similarly shaped elements may be provided at the ends of hangers Ztl rather than the rod illustrated in FIGURE 5. Furthermore, this rod need not be circular but may coil prise sections of a circle. The cross section of rod i9 neednot be circular but may be elliptical or any other suitable shape. Still further, sleeve 6 may be omitted entirely. and the wall of the cavity in which the socket is positioned may be used to perform the functions of sleeve 6. In the embodiments illustrated in FIGURES 6 and 7, any number of fingers 21 may be used. Furthermore, the cavities illustrated in FIGURES 6 and 7 may be lined-with a metal, plastic, or similar material if desired.

The connectors Vof the present invention eliminate the need for the use of reinforced concrete to join together structural units. This, of course, means that the forms necessary to contain the fresh concrete, the lifting of the concrete into place, temporary prop-ping and anchoring devices and Ithe delay in construction during curing of Nor are steel columns,

i beams yor other structural members required to effect the connections. Also eliminated is welding, and the providing of access openings for welding, as well as the subsequent closing and patching of the openings.

The embodiments illustrated vin FIGURES 6 and 7 are not quite as strong as those illustrated in FIGURES 1 to 5, but have the compensating advantages of economy in cost and are particularly sui-table when sockets must be embedded in relatively narrow and long structural members, such as walls when roofs are connected thereto.

Having fully described the present invention, it is to be understood that it is not to be limited to the details set forth, but is of the full scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A `structural connector comprising: a pin member having an outwardly diverging tapered external surface; a socket member comprising a plurality of flexible ngers resiliently engageable along said tapered external surface of said pin member; a sleeve lixedly mounted in radially spaced relation outwardly of said socket member; and locking means carried by said` pin member, said locking means being adapted to be interposed between said socket member and said sleeve to hold said ngers in locking engagement with said outer surface, whereupon insertion of said pin member into said socket, said locking means is disposed between said sleeve and the exterior of said socket member and locks `said fingers to said pin member.

2. A structural member as defined in claim 1, wherein said liexible fingers are connected to said socket members by double hinge means to provide for hinging movement of each inger atltwo spaced points whereby said fingers are capable of fully contacting said pin member when said pin member and said socket member are slightly out of alignment. t

3. A structural connector as defined in claim 1, wherein said locking means comprises a plurality of spherical elements.

4. A structural connector as defined in claim 3, wherein said ispherical members are releasably enclosed in a rupturable container carried by said pin member and wherein rupturing means are provided on said sleeve for releasing said spherical members nnto wedg-ing relation between said fingers and said sleeve when said pin member is introduced into said socket member.

5. A structural connector as defined in claim 4, wherein said means for releasing said spherical elements comprises a cutting element fixedly mounted with respect vto said socket and engageable with said container at the time said pin member is introduced into said socket member to rupture said container and release said spherical elements.

6. A structural member as defined in claim 5, where'- in said cutting element is mounted on said sleeve at a level such `as to engage said container as said pin member moves into said socket member but before said pin member is fully receivedV Itherein.

7. A structural member as defined in claim 3, wherein said spherical elements are of different sizes.

8. A structural connector comprising: a pin member having an outwardly diverging tapered external surface; a socket member comprising `a plurality of flexible lingers resiliently engageable with said external surface of said pin member; a sleeve fixedly mounted in radially spaced relation outwardly Vof said socket member; and locking means carried by said pin member, said locking means being adapted to be interposed between said socket member and said pin to hold said 'fingers in locking engagement with ysaid outer surface, said locking means including a rod-like element, whereby insertion of said pin member into said socket, said locking means is disposed between said sleeve and the exterior of said socket member and locks said iingers to said pin member. i

9. A structural connector as defined in claim 8, wherein said rod-like element is flexibly suspended from said pin member.

10. A structural connector as defined in claim 9, wherein said rod-like element is an lannular member` supported at the ends of a plurality of flexible fingers extending from said pin member for positioning said rod-like element between said sleeve and said pin member and for resiliently urging said locking element into wedging relation therebetween.

11. A structural connector comprising: a pin member having an outwardly diverging tapered external surface; an annular collar fixed on said pin member; a frangible annular container mounted on said collar releasably holding a plurality of spherical elements; a base member; a socket member centrally mounted on said base member and comprising a plurality of flexible fingers extending upwardly therefrom for resilient engagement with said external surface of said pin member; a sleeve fixedly mounted on said base member in radially spaced relation outwardly of said lsocket; member; and a cutting element mounted on said sleeve and having a cut ting edge positioned to rupture said container as said pin member is moved into said socket member -to 4thereby release said spherical elements into wedging relation between said pin member and said sleeve.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 428,063 Boda May 20, 1890 892,333 Thaub June 30, 1908 1,034,185 Armstrong July 30, 1912 1,644,035 Rooie Oct. 4, 1927 2,041,444 Supplie May 19, 1936 2,091,882 Robinson Aug. 31, 1937 2,102,999 De Vries Dec. 21, 1937 2,135,118 Stewart Nov. 1, 1938 2,781,658 Dobell Feb. 19, 1957 3,027,609 Parkin etal. Apr. 3, 1962 FOREIGN PATENTS 464,136 Great Britain Apr. 12, 1937 638,813 Great Britain June 14, 1950 

1. A STRUCTURAL CONNECTOR COMPRISING: A PIN MEMBER HAVING AN OUTWARDLY DIVERGING TAPERED EXTERNAL SURFACE; A SOCKET MEMBER COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF FLEXIBLE FINGERS RESILIENTLY ENGAGEABLE ALONG SAID TAPERED EXTERNAL SURFACE OF SAID PIN MEMBER; A SLEEVE FIXEDLY MOUNTED IN RADIALLY SPACED RELATION OUTWARDLY OF SAID SOCKET MEMBER; AND LOCKING MEANS CARRIED BY SAID PIN MEMBER, SAID LOCKING MEANS BEING ADAPTED TO BE INTERPOSED BETWEEN SAID SOCKET MEMBER AND SAID SLEEVE TO HOLD SAID FINGERS IN LOCKING ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID OUTER SURFACE, WHEREUPON INSERTION OF SAID PIN MEMBER INTO SAID SOCKET, SAID LOCKING MEANS IS DISPOSED BETWEEN SAID SLEEVE AND THE EXTERIOR OF SAID SOCKET MEMBER AND LOCKS SAID FINGERS TO SAID PIN MEMBER. 